Rescue Me
by Kujata
Summary: Can Hiei save the only one he loves before time runs out, or will everything he held dear die in his very arms? YukinaXKuwabara, KeikoXYusuke, HieiXKurama. FINISHED. yaoi rape Under Construction
1. The Easy Life

A/N: This is my first time writing in this...style. This is different from anything I've ever done before. Tell me what you think. I plan on having this in the Point of View of Kurama and then Hiei's the next chapter. I don't own Yu-Yu Hakusho or any of the characters besides the ones that I have deliberately created in my other stories (I'm not going to name them). If I create any new characters for this story you will be the first to know.

Chapter One:

The Easy Life  
  
It's been a few months since the dark tournament; none of us can believe that it's finally over. Koenma hasn't sent us on any new missions of late, he's probably giving us time to recuperate, and I'm using the time to catch up on my schoolwork.  
  
I have seen Yusuke around rarely, and wherever he is, Keiko is, hanging on his arm. It seems that those two have finally given up hiding their feelings for one another. I've also seen Yukina and Kuwabara a few times; Kuwabara just won't leave her alone. I haven't...seen Hiei around, but I have sensed him close around me though. I wonder what he wants...  
  
Since we haven't been on any missions lately, we've only seen each other at school. I normally spend my time in the Library, so I don't eat with Yusuke and everyone else.  
  
My mother is so glad that while I was gone on my 'trip' that I still kept up with my schoolwork. I've now been accepted into the best colleges in Japan. My mother has already taken up the liberty to choose which school I go to, I'm not mad though, she seemed to put in a lot of thought about that. I wish she would think about other things instead, like the new baby that's coming, and her wedding that needs to be planned. She's marrying a businessman named Showu; he's very nice to both of us.  
  
It was now getting more into winter, the snow, just barely touching the frozen grass, when I overheard Yusuke talking to Kuwabara and the others, I noticed a small red-eyed demon hiding in a corner close by them.  
  
They were saying something like, "He's escaped; so we'll have to protect him."  
  
"How can someone just _escape_ the River Stix? That kind of stuff just doesn't happen," Kuwabara asked Yusuke.  
  
"I don't know, wait, there he is," Yusuke said, finishing the conversation. He looked up and began to walk towards me, Keiko following. "Hey, Kurama, the gang and me are going over to the arcade on Fuiji Street, you wanna come?"  
  
"Um...sure, I should be allowed to," I responded, I saw no harm in going anyway, even if they were talking about me earlier.  
  
"_Allowed_? The great Fox-demon needs permission to go to an arcade?" Hiei asked coldly.  
  
"I don't need permission, I just ask it anyways; it's called manners, Hiei." I didn't understand what had gotten into him, it was almost as if he was biting my head off.  
  
The conversation died as I walked away to call my mom on the pay phones. As I walked over there, all I could think about was what Hiei had said, I couldn't think about my homework, or the giant test that was tomorrow, only about what Hiei had said.  
  
I dialed in the number and heard the phone begin to ring. The answering machine came on. Just great, I thought, now I can't be told no. I truly didn't want to go with them if Hiei was going to act like this.  
  
"Hey, mom, it's me, Suiichi. Just wanting to say I'm going to the arcade after school with my friends, I'll be back before dark. Bye," I said into the phone.  
  
"Good, we'll meet you in the foyer, near the last table-"Yusuke began; he was interrupted by the bell to warn us to hurry to our next class. "Well, see you later."  
  
Byes were passed to everyone. Hiei didn't even look my way; I'm hoping this is just an odd mood he is in, one that will clear up soon...

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A/N: What did you think, leave me a review? Next chapter is called Love's Demise. 


	2. Love's Demise

A/N: I don't own Yu-Yu Hakusho, I don't own Mortal Kombat, but it is one of my favorite games though. If any of you have any questions about this or any of my stories, e-mail me at , I'm always happy to answer questions. This is in the Point Of View of Hiei.  
  
**Chapter Two **

**Love's Demise**  
  
"Hey, mom, it's me, Suiichi. Just wanting to say I'm going to the arcade after school with my friends, I'll be back before dark. Bye," Kurama said into the phone.  
  
"Good, we'll meet you in the foyer, near the last table-"Yusuke began; he was interrupted by the bell to warn them to hurry to their next class. "Well, see you later."  
  
Byes were passed to everyone. I couldn't look at Kurama, not with this odd feeling I had. It wasn't a bad feeling, it was more a feeling of nervousness, but I don't get nervous around people, I just don't understand. It almost felt like all I wanted in the world was for Kurama to accept me, and I would die if I couldn't be with him, I couldn't explain it.  
  
As everyone else walked to his or her next class I slid into the darkness so no one could see me, it wasn't very hard. I found what I was looking for, a sight that was my only haven, the red haired fox demon.  
  
For the rest of that day I followed him from class to class. In no time at all the final bell rang and Kurama was walking toward the foyer. I saw Yusuke and Keiko already waiting there.  
  
"Hey, Kurama over here," Yusuke said, not even caring that we spotted him first. I slipped out of the shadows, away from Kurama so he wouldn't know that I had been following him, and took a seat on the table. "We're just waiting for Yukina and Kuwabara to show up, who knows what they're doing."  
  
"Yusuke!" Keiko almost screamed.  
  
"I didn't say anything," Yusuke said on the defensive. Kurama let out a small laugh; it was a fake one. "Ah, there they are. About time! Where were you two?"  
  
"Yukina wanted to see my locker, so we had to make a pit stop," Kuwabara explained lamely.  
  
"Yeah, right," Yusuke said, rolling his eyes. "Let's get moving."  
  
As a group we began walking to the arcade, it wasn't very far. When we walked into the building, many people left. It seemed like Yusuke's and Kuwabara's individuality precedes them. We all headed over toward the counter to get tickets.  
  
The man who was at the desk handed us the tickets and said something that resembled "no charge." We headed over towards the games, and then we split up. I stayed close to Kurama, I had to find away to tell him how I felt, and this feeling was killing me.  
  
Kurama had headed over to some type of fighting game called Mortal Kombat, it seemed to be gory, my type of style.  
  
"Can I join you?" I asked in an 'I don't care' kind of voice.  
  
"Um, of course, here you place the ticket in this slot and you begin. This button here is jump, this one is to move your character around," he pointed to the joystick. "This one here is to kick, and this one is to punch." It seemed as if he forgot how I reacted earlier today. "Let's begin, I'll go easy on you to start off with."  
  
"I don't need your pity..." I said, coldly, I quickly shook my head, knowing that that was my first mistake. "I came here to talk to you." I couldn't bring myself to say why, though.  
  
After a long pause, Kurama asked, "Why do you need to talk to me?" His voice was calm and un-judgmental.  
  
"I don't know how to explain it," I lowered my voice so only he could hear. "I have this odd feeling about you. All I want is to be near you then nothing evil can happen..." Kurama seemed to be listening intently, so I tried to continue. "I don't know what it is, but I feel as if life itself has been destroyed if I don't see you, and if I know that you are in danger..." I didn't want to continue; I couldn't continue because Kurama began to smile, I felt like a fool.  
  
"That explains it," Kurama said, half to himself. "It's called love, Hiei. You feel love towards me." Kurama turned to me, ignoring the game. It didn't matter anyways; he was winning. I didn't say anything. "I feel-"  
  
A loud explosion, one that involved spirit energy, emitted to the right of Kurama. We were flung backwards. I turned to Kurama to make sure he was all right, blood was pouring out of his ears. I turned back to the explosion and that's when I saw him...  
  
Hell itself could not feel or look so evil, so hating. The creature stood up into the dust that was created from the explosion. The stench of pure hatred came from him. He turned to face Kurama and me. He seemed to only want to create pain and destruction. He began to walk toward us. The dust settled around his malicious corpse, the long black hair, the dark, unruly clothing, it could only belong to one type of evil, Karasu.

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A/N: What did you think? The next chapter will be called Death's Presumption. 


	3. Death's Presumption

A/N: As before I don't own Yu-Yu Hakusho. The next chapters will probably contain a lot of lemon, as I said earlier, I've never done this before; wish me luck! The rating will start to go up as of next chapter.  
  
Chapter Three

Death's Presumption  
  
Hell itself could not feel or look so evil, so hating. The creature stood up into the dust that was created from the explosion. The stench of pure hatred came from him. He turned to face Hiei and myself. He seemed to only want to create pain and destruction. He began to walk toward me. The dust settled around his malicious corpse, the long black hair, the dark, unruly clothing, it could only belong to one type of evil, Karasu.  
  
I was stunned; I couldn't hear anything. I saw Hiei quickly turn around, and in no time at all Yusuke and Kuwabara had me by the arms and had lifted me up and began to carry me toward the back of the arcade room. Karasu began to run towards us, I didn't know what he wanted-  
  
---------Flashback From Chapter One---------  
  
_"He's escaped; so we'll have to protect him," Yusuke had said earlier that day.  
  
"How can someone just escape the River Styx? That kind of stuff just doesn't happen," Kuwabara asked Yusuke.  
  
"I don't know, wait, there he is."_  
  
----------------End of Flashback----------------  
  
I began to put it together; I didn't have enough time to think as Yusuke and Kuwabara through me over the counter for my own safety. I was able to conclude this much before I hit the ground; Koenma or Botan must have told them that Karasu had somehow escaped the River Styx, and he was after me...for revenge!  
  
I then hit the ground; it didn't hurt to bad, because I needed to help my friends, especially Hiei, now that I know why he's been acting different around me, he can get himself killed with how he's thinking.  
  
I stood up only to be pushed back down by Keiko and Yukina. They soon jumped the counter and kneeled next to me. They tried to explain something to me but because of the explosion, I couldn't hear a word they said. I told them that, how loud I was, I don't know, but I tried to whisper.  
  
Yukina lifted her head over the counter to see what was happening; she then said something in which I couldn't understand. Keiko and Yukina, just realizing that, grabbed at my head and forced me down as quickly as they could. Something happened; my guess is that Karasu created an explosion right over our heads; and things from above and behind us began to shoot everywhere.  
  
---------Hiei's Point of View---------  
  
Karasu was slowly beating us down. Kuwabara was already out cold and Yusuke was badly injured, but I couldn't give up, I had to save Kurama. I ran towards Karasu. I was hoping to distract him enough for the girls and Kurama to get out behind that counter, but I was too late.  
  
Karasu through what seemed to be a small glowing orb at the counter. The explosion was tremendous, wood shattered; little 'prizes' flew everywhere in pieces, but I had no sight of Kurama. He's...dead, I thought. I turned on Karasu, who was laughing his head off.  
  
"You killed him...YOU KILLED HIM, you BASTARD!!" I screamed. I felt so much pain, so much longing. I now know what it would feel like to lose the only being that I cared about, the only reason for my existence...  
  
In the time that I had paused long enough to consider my lose, Karasu lifted his hand at me and blasted me back into the wall. I passed out.  
  
When I woke into semi-consciousness, it seemed to have been only a few minutes since I had passed out. The rubble had been searched through, and then, I saw _him_...  
  
Karasu was standing in the debris, holding something red...Kurama, I thought, no, he can't take Kurama. I tried to move, but the pain was too great. In my last moments of consciousness I saw my life be taken away from me, the only thing that deserved caring about, and I don't even know if he felt the same way about me....


	4. Wicked Touch

A/N: This is going to be in the Point of View of Kurama. I'm not going to try and turn this thing rated R, but if I must, I must. I'm going to have _SO _much fun with this chapter; here is your only warning; mentions rape, lemon and me on a bad day! :}  
  
Chapter Four

Wicked Touch  
  
The last thing I remember was feeling someone gather their energy and the feel of death sweep past me. I remember that we had been fighting Karasu...we lost. But, how, I thought. Karasu is weak, I could have handled him on my own, what's happened to him to make him this powerful, could it be escaping the River Styx?  
  
My thoughts were cut off as something cut deep into my right arm. I opened my eyes in pain to see Hell's residence staring back at me. The room was very small; it was more like a cell. It only had a small cot and a toilet; that was it. As I looked around the room, my eyes rested on Karasu. He was sitting near me, holding a dagger, which he had used to draw my blood.  
  
He looked at the dagger and then said, "I'll be back, my wounded fox." With that he stood up and walked out of the cell door.  
  
I tried to sit up, but there were shackles where my wrists were supposed to be, the same thing was on my ankles. I couldn't even as much as budge. I then heard two voices in the hallway; I couldn't help but overhear...  
  
"Hear is what you asked for," Karasu said.  
  
"Good, now you may have your way with him, make sure it hurts. The last thing I want is for his 'friends' to save him and you haven't yet found your fill. Go, have fun," a female voice said.  
  
"O, I will, Lady Ryokha, I will."  
  
The gate began to open that lead to my cell. A rush of dread and fear passed over me, I had known Karasu long enough to know what he has planned, and I needed to find away to stop him.  
  
He began to undress himself, and then he undressed me. He lay on top of me, so much pain and hatred rested in his eyes, and then, all it was, was pleasure.  
  
The pain was unbearable, him... moving up and down on my poised body, him moving as fast and as hard as he can, never stopping, never even pausing. The pain was too much. I don't remember it all, luckily, but I screamed, and I screamed hard.  
  
I must have passed out sometime last night, because I awoke and there was no one is sight. I had lost my voice, I soon realized, and I was throbbing in pain. I don't know how long Karasu went, but it seemed like all night.  
  
I lay there for hours on end. I had no way of telling the time, and no way to pass the time. I was hungry, and all I wanted to do was just roll over and die.  
  
The cell door opened, I expected Karasu to enter wanting 'more,' but I was wrong. A beautiful young woman had walked in; she was carrying a tray with food on it. I couldn't see what kind. Her sleeves draped to the stone floor. Her clothes was see through, all of it. Whenever my eyes passed to an...unholy sight there was an almost wiring of flowers there.  
  
She sat down on the floor and began to feed me. She talked to me calmly. Telling me that all of my friends already knew of what had happened last night, and that once they were told that I was with another, they turned around and walked home. That they didn't care, that I was as good as dead.  
  
A part of me wanted to tell this girl off, but another part wanted me to embrace this, so there would be someone here that I could talk to, someone here who would listen to me. Hiei, I thought, if I could have just told you how I felt...

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A/N: I don't own Yu-Yu Hakusho but I _do_ own Ryokha and her powers, they are mine. The next chapter, I believe, will be called Rescue Mission. 


	5. Rescue Mission

A/N: Hope you liked the last one, because this one won't explain anything that is happening to Kurama. This is in the Point of View of Hiei. For the next few chapters I will be switching off from Hiei to Kurama so you know both sides of the story. I will keep on doing this; I will tell you if it's different in any up coming chapters.  
  
Chapter Five

Rescue Mission  
  
I was sitting near the wall; I wasn't going to be the one to tell Koenma what happened. I couldn't even begin to realize what Karasu would do to Kurama. My eyes were closed; I was trying to remember what had happened at the arcade only two hours before.  
  
---------Flashback From Chapter Three---------  
  
Karasu was standing in the debris, holding something red...Kurama. The debris had been searched through; Kurama was Karasu's _only_ target.  
  
Karasu turned around saying something that sounded like, "Just try and find us, Kitsune!" He then began to walk off, I couldn't hold my eyes open any longer; I passed out.  
  
I woke up sometime later. I was in a bed and I could here voices out in the hall. I must be at Koenma's, I had thought. I then got up to hear the voices better.  
  
"We have to save Kurama!" Yusuke had said. He seemed enraged about the fact. "We don't know what Karasu will do to him."  
  
"Calm down, Yusuke. This is definitely a trap, you need to plan out your moves first," Keiko said. It seemed like she _had _a plan, I thought.  
  
"We need to wait for Hiei first, I think he was the last standing, maybe he knows something..." Yusuke said, slightly reassured.  
  
"Why do we need to wait for him, he won't help us," Kuwabara stated.  
  
"Kazuma, that's not true. Hiei is a true friend and you know that!" Yukina said, she still didn't know about me being her brother.  
  
I entered at that time; I didn't have anything to say as I walked past the others. If they weren't going to save Kurama, I was!  
  
"Hiei..." Yukina began, and then she stopped as if in fear she had said something wrong.  
  
"If you aren't going to help save him, then I will go by myself," I said stalking off.  
  
"Hiei, wait," Yusuke said, bounding after me. "We are going to help you save Kurama, but Keiko's right, we need a plan first."  
  
"And I might just have one," Keiko said.  
  
----------------End of Flashback---------------  
  
"Since we know Karasu o so well, we can assume that he would be in the Makai realm," Yusuke said, beginning to sum up the plan. "We just don't know exactly where, but Koenma summed it up for us. We have three choices, an old look-alike Cathedral, a Cemetery, or a very old Prison thingy. I think we should split up and search," he said. He faced Kuwabara with this almost haunting look, "You get the ... Cemetery!"  
  
"What??!! NO WAY!!! I'm not going there! Send Hiei!!"  
  
"Too bad, Kuwabara, you're going there. Hiei why don't you take the Cathedral, and I'll take the Prison thingy," Yusuke said. "Remember, we don't attack until everyone is there. Koenma provided us with these walky- talkies, so if anything is suspicious just hold this button down and talk in this," He said showing me.  
  
"I know how to use one of those, stupid ningen!"  
  
"Alright, it will take us about three days to get to the Makai realm, so let's get ready now."

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A/N: What did you think; remember to leave me a review? Tell me if you think I should up the rating, I really need to know. 


	6. Bleeding Roses

A/N: POV Kurama. This chapter explains a three-day period. This chapter picks up right where Chapter Four left off. O, 'this ladadadada' means the character is thinking.  
  
Chapter Six  
  
Bleeding Roses  
  
Hiei, I thought, if I could have just told you how I felt...  
  
"Why do you stay with them?" the young girl asked. She was feeding me some ripe strawberries.  
  
"What do you mean?" For some reason my voice carried a lot of dread and depress.  
  
"I mean, your so-called friends, they aren't coming for you, they never will."  
  
"You're lying," I felt so weak and tired. We had been playing this 'game' for hours now; at least it was better than Karasu's type of torture.  
  
"No, if I was lying, why haven't you already been saved." She was right, I thought, they would have already been here if she wasn't. "Why do you let them treat you like this? They aren't worth it, they don't care about you, why do you care about them?"  
  
"They are my friends," I kept telling this servant and myself over again and again.  
  
"They never were your friends, they never will be your friends." She then got up and left, leaving me in utter silence.  
  
I pondered what she had said. 'They weren't my friends, but that was impossible, Hiei said he loved me. He wasn't one to lie, not about feelings that deep. Could he have said it so I would feel for him, was this one of Yusuke's jokes? This can't be; I've never questioned myself before; I never had a reason too.'  
  
I don't know how long I had been thinking about this but soon the cell door opened. A dark figure stood in the doorway. It was Karasu. I couldn't think about what was to come.  
  
He walked in he was holding a knife. "It's play time, fox."  
  
This time I was awake for it all. He cut me in every which way with that dagger, near my neck, on my arms, close to my wrists. Wherever he cut me, he made sure blood loss was my last concern. I don't know how long this lasted or when and if Karasu ever left that night or in the next day or the next, but it's over now, hopefully. Near the end of it I didn't react to any type of pain he tried to inflict, I didn't feel it. I had gone completely numb from that pain that no other type of pain would enter me, no feelings.  
  
It was then that I felt the worst pain imaginable, the pain of true loss. I now knew what that servant meant about Hiei and the others never caring about me, it was true. I had now been locked in here for a little less than three days, they didn't care, and they never would...

_Playground school bell ring, again  
Rain clouds come to play, again  
Has no one told you she's not breathing  
Hello?  
I am your mind  
Giving you someone to talk to,  
Hello?  
  
If I smile and don't believe  
Soon I'll know I'll wake  
Form this dream  
Don't try to fix me  
I'm not broken  
Hello?  
I am lie living for you  
So you can't hide  
Don't cry  
  
Suddenly I know I'm not sleeping  
Hello?  
I'm still here  
All that's left of yesterday..._

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A/N: I don't own Yu-Yu Hakusho or 'Hello' By Evenescence (sorry about the spelling). The next Chapter will be called Too Late. 


	7. Too Late

A/N: POV of Hiei. This is getting good and the plot hasn't even come out yet! So no, for those who need to know, this isn't_ just_ a kill Kurama fic. the Urameshi team drew straws and Kurama's ended up with the shortest, how convenient...  
  
Chapter Seven  
  
Too Late  
  
We had all gone our separate ways in the Makai realm. Kuwabara went to the Cemetery, Yusuke went to the Prison and I traveled to the Cathedral. We all had the walkie-talkies on, when I last saw Kuwabara he was holding his like it was his only lifeline; it was quite amusing.  
  
I walked into the courtyard of the Cathedral; nothing grew here, not even weeds, everything was dead. "Kurama would hate this place," I mumbled to myself.  
  
I stealthily tiptoed over to the door. It was big, at least the hole where the door once was, so I looked in, there was no harm, as long as I was quiet. Cobwebs and dust covered the floor and walls, everything looked like it was in a mist. I walked in only to jump back out when I couldn't breathe, the dust was way to thick, I had to figure out another way to get in there.  
  
I looked for the nearest window, but before I could find one Yusuke's voice came over the walkie-talkie, "Hey, guys. I found him, get over here quick, but...WHAT THE...?" The voice died out there.  
  
I ran as quickly as I could, even you would have been surprised, I thought remembering Kurama. In less the ten minutes I made it to the entrance of the prison. Yusuke was there in the front, but he was fighting someone..."Kurama!" I almost screamed.  
  
"Hiei! Help me!" Yusuke yelled back at me. He was trying to block Kurama's blows from his Rose Whip.  
  
I froze; what could I have done? My love was fighting a person that I would consider a friend, but I had to do something. I charged Kurama, unsheathing my sword. I couldn't hurt him, but I could knock him out.  
  
I was going to try and hit him with the blunt side of my sword, no matter how hard it would be. But as I swung my sword I opened my Jagan eye, maybe, as a last resort, I could penetrate his mind and figure out what was going on...  
  
It was very difficult trying to open up his mind but by the third stroke of my sword I could read his thoughts.  
  
'Kill me,' he thought. 'She's controlling me, kill me now before I hurt you or Yusuke!'  
  
'I can't kill you, my fox,' I thought back to him. 'Who is she, maybe we can stop her before she does any more harm.'  
  
'Her name is Ryokha, and if she is anywhere it would be inside there, that hellish priso-agh!' I hadn't realized our fight was still continuing, nor did I realize that I had knocked him out. It was then that I saw the multiple wounds along his face and hands. I knelt down to his limp figure to see just how bad and how many wounds there were. I rolled up part of his sleeve to see many more gashes like those on his hands. Kuwabara then showed up.  
  
"Better late then never," Yusuke remarked.  
  
"Hey, I'm here at least," Kuwabara seemed not to see me on the ground. I had quickly flung myself into a pile of rubble that once belonged to the prison. "At least I came, not like shortie."  
  
"What do you mean, he was just here...Where did he go?!" Yusuke almost screamed. He had turned around hoping to see me, but I had better things to do then be slowed down by these two.  
  
"Come in, Yusuke. Yusuke? Can you hear me?" the walkie-talkie stated in Koenma's voice.  
  
"Yeah, yeah I can hear you, what do you need?"  
  
"Have you found Kurama yet?"  
  
"Yeah, we found him, but he's in pretty bad shape."  
  
"Then bring him back here so we can see just how badly he's hurt. Over and out," the static on the walkie-talkie stopped.  
  
"Hiei will probably meet us there, we need to get going," Yusuke said. Yusuke bent down and picked up my fox and carried him away from the prison, leaving its horrid memory behind with it, but I couldn't.  
  
I looked up at the prison and stepped out of the rubble. "I'm coming for you, Ryokha, and you _will_ pay." 


	8. Entering the Forbidden

A/N: I'm on a roll with this story, I am loving it, and I hope you guys are too. O, this is in the POV of Hiei since Kurama is indisposed at the moment {evil laugh} This is one of my shortest chapters, sorry.  
  
Chapter Eight  
  
Entering the Forbidden  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara left to help Kurama with his wounds, but I couldn't so easily leave the devil-wench behind, she had to pay! I don't know what she did to Kurama but I'm going to fix it once and for all.  
  
I knew that I was enraged and that all I wanted was to give Kurama the fiend, called Ryokha's head on a silver platter, and that's what I intended to do.  
  
When the two ningen left I slowly walked to the door. The entrance was huge and was made of a rusted material of metal. If I used the door it would make so much noise that this demon would have to know that I had entered. Without another thought I opened the door, its rusty hinges made enough noise to wake the dead.  
  
Even over the sound of the door I could here the moaning and growling frenzy of some type of creature, what it was, I didn't want to know. As I walked forward the ground seemed to shudder in pure terror, in a fear that could not be described. I moved on.  
  
I already knew where Ryokha would be waiting for me, at the top of this demented castle, so that's where I headed. I didn't know just how big this destroyed palace was, but I was soon going to find out.  
  
I drew out my sword and began my lone walk. For the first time in my life, I was fighting for someone; I didn't care what happened to my mangled body as long as she paid for what she did to him.  
  
The hallways were long and bare, the only thing in this place besides me, were the spiders that had woken up as I walked past them. The rooms that I entered shared the same predicament as the hallways, they, too, were bare besides the night creatures that made home there. As I passed each corner I half expected to run into Karasu, but of yet, I hadn't.  
  
As I traveled I noticed a stairway, I quickly but silently ran over to it. Sheathing my sword, I began to walk carefully up it. The floorboards creaked underneath me. A sudden thought raced through my head, 'It won't carry me any longer.' I jumped off of the stairway and on to the bottom step. Before I landed the stairs seemed to disintegrate right where I stood. I had to find another way up. I continued to walk towards the back of the castle.  
  
I had entered a long, lonely hallway at the most southern part of the prison (it mostly resembled a deserted castle than a prison.) when my eyes located the one thing I was looking for, a way up. At some point in time the floor gave way, and now that cave-in was my only way to redeem Kurama.  
  
I began to climb; I had one hand constantly on my sword. My mind began to imagine things that weren't possible, one of which was my sudden destruction at the hands of this Ryokha, another was my destruction at the hands of Karasu. "I can't turn back," I whispered to myself, I had to gather up all of my courage to travel on. I couldn't turn back, not now, not ever. I pressed on...

* * *

A/N: Sorry, had to leave it here, the next chapter should be up soon though. I think it's going to be called The Beast's Heart. 


	9. The Beast's Heart

A/N: This is the farthest I've ever gone with a story, you should all be proud! This will be in the POV of Hiei, since Kurama is still indisposed, sorry for the Kurama fans. O, sorry if I didn't get Karasu down in my earlier chapters, or in any ones soon to come, you see, I missed that episode. Basically, I'm just B-sing all of this on Karasu, sorry. O, I don't own Yu-Yu Hakusho, because if I did, I wouldn't be writing stories about my own manga, I would just make them happen! Be afraid be_ very_ afraid.  
  
Chapter Nine  
  
The Beast's Heart  
  
I reached the hole that led to the next floor. I could tell from the size of the prison, that this was the second to last floor; I was in luck. I pushed myself up onto the cold cobblestone. I stood up and looked around, this hallway was different from all of the others. This room contained no spider webs, but it was dark and gloomy.  
  
I walked down the hallway, my hand dashed to my sword at any sound, even my own footprints that seemed to echo on the stones. I had the disturbing feeling that I was being watched by someone I wasn't wishing to meet.  
  
I passed a new hallway, one that was darker than the first. I turned to greet it, and walked into it. Something caught my eye; it was in an iron cell... it was a dagger that still held warm blood. I could sense who was the owner of the blood... it was Kurama's. That was how he became so badly injured, but by whom?  
  
My question was answered far sooner than I thought it would be. From behind me I heard snickering, "You already know who harmed him." The voice was all too familiar.  
  
"Karasu," I sneered, no matter how I could have said it, it would have still sounded just as evil.  
  
"I will only stall you, since she wishes to meet you, and tell you something about his condition. But if you cannot even harm _me_, then," Karasu shrugged his shoulders sadistically, "you would have no reason to meet my lady."  
  
"Your... lady?"  
  
"She is the one who brought me back to this world, so I am required to do her bidding. If she wished it, she could through me back into that Hellhole, and she wishes us to fight."  
  
"I will not follow that Bitch's whim!"  
  
"Then you will die where you stand!" Karasu screamed. He began to focus into his hand one of his bombs's to throw at me; I couldn't die here!  
  
I drew my sword and charged while he was distracted. My sword cuts were quick and precise, yet, not even one grazed him. He had some how become much stronger after the Dark Tournament.  
  
The fight didn't last two minutes before I had been knocked down by one of his blasts. I was in some pain, but not much. Karasu began to focus again in his hand for another bomb. But something happened before he could do any harm with the bomb. Something was emitting from his chest; it was a... hand. That hand was holding something that it dropped to the floor.  
  
I looked back at Karasu expecting some explanation from him. Only one word escaped his mouth, "Why, my lady, why?!"  
  
I looked back at the floor to the item that had been dropped, it was... Karasu's heart, it was still beating slowly outside of his chest. The heart then shriveled and transformed into some type of insects, 'maggots' I thought to myself.  
  
"He disobeyed me, no one disobeys me!" A women's voice said above me. "Ah, dear Hiei, come to the top floor if you wish to redeem your friend, your _love_..."

* * *

A/N: What did you think? The next chapter's going to be called An Undying Servant. 


	10. An Undying Servant

A/N: This will start in the POV of Hiei. From here on, I'm going to try and get the chapters longer and in more detail, enjoy! O, 'blah,' means that the character is thinking.

Chapter Ten

An Undying Servant

'She killed her own slave,' I thought, it was the _only_ thing that crossed my mind at the moment. 'I need to keep moving, where are the stairs up?'

My eyes searched for a way up, but I couldn't see one in this hallway. The only thing here was that cell, the one that held Kurama prisoner. I slowly walked to the other hallway and followed it.

The farther I progressed the darker and somber I felt. 'What did Karasu mean about Kurama's 'condition'? What condition did he have?' I continued to walk silently down the hall. My eyes, searching every nook and cranny, saw my next way up; at least, that's what I thought it was...

This was the end of the hallway, so damp and cold. My eyes had fallen to the ground. A small square lay across the floor. The square had a light purple hue to it; it seemed something that only a very powerful demon could have placed there. I had seen one like this once before, while I was with Kurama...

-------Flashback to almost two years ago-------

"What is that," I had asked Kurama.

"It's a teleporter, it will transport us to where ever this demon wants us to go," Kurama said. We were the only ones there.

"Hn, is that so, fox?"

"Yes, you activate it by standing on it, here, I'll show you." He then walked calmly onto the purplish square and waited patiently for a moment. By the time that I thought this was useless to us, the purple on the floor began to rise all around Kurama, covering his entire being. My eyes opened wide as I watched Kurama disappear. Since I had no other way of following him, I had walked onto the platform and joined him on the other side...

-----------------End of Flashback-----------------

I looked back down at the square at my feet. I slowly exhaled, and walked onto the square; I had to help Kurama any way that I could. I looked back down at my feet and saw the purple glitter float up to me. I watched it, as it began to slowly rise above my head, I then looked back down as I felt a tingling sensation spread to my knees. From about my waist down, my body seemed to disintegrate into nothingness. The rest of my body fell to that same feeling as I was transported to where ever this demon witch wanted me to go.

Soon my body lost the sensation, and I opened my eyes. The dust was beginning to fall from my face, allowing me to see what was in front of me. A woman sat on what seemed to be a throne of bones.

She was beautiful, yet ugly and terrifying all at the same time. Her sleeves draped to the stone floor. Her clothes were see-through, all of it. I looked her up and down; underneath her clothing she wore what seemed to be a gray wiring that resembled flowers. The wiring only protected her against things that should only be sought for, but not seen.

"I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show at all..." her voice said. She sounded as if somehow she was doing this great deed that only she could do.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"O, how ignorant of me, my name is Ryokha, the soon to be demon savior."

"What do you mean?"

"Your friend-I mean, lover, is deeply sick, in fact, he is so sick, he will die in six days if the antidote isn't given to him..."

"What did you do to him!?" I felt my heart sink as she began to answer me.

"He was poisoned, and I am the only one with the antidote. Rock Shire Poison is very deadly to the mind. With a single touch it will numb all thoughts, if swallowed or injected with it, it can destroy the entire mind, like acid, making the body an empty core. It then drains all of the life from the body, killing its host so very slowly." She then began to smile as she saw my torment.

"What do you want for the antidote?" I didn't want to know the cost, but I couldn't let Kurama go through that.

"My master began a study on demon and human activity. He found out that the two realms would better prosper for him if the realms were made one. My master died before he could finish his research, but I finished it for him. My poor Sakiyo did _not_ die in vain!" She then stopped as she looked at me. She tilted her head and stood up, an evil smile fluttered across her face. "You will get the key for me and deliver it back to me."

"Why can't I just kill you now, and take the antidote from you?"

"Who said I was carrying it on me? You have five days to deliver the key to me, any later and the antidote won't have any effect on him." With those words still echoing into my head, I walked out of the castle and into the night. I wouldn't be able to convince Koenma to hand me that key, so I would have to steal it, I had no other option...

* * *

A/N: The next chapter will explain what's been happening since Hiei left Yusuke and Kuwabara. It will also better explain Kurama's predicament. I don't know what it will be called yet. 


	11. You're Not Alone

A/N: I don't know how this chapter is going to turn out, be warned! (lol) This is in the POV of Kazuma Kuwabara, I know, how odd and disturbing, but hey? It's going to have to work.

Chapter Eleven

You're Not Alone

Yusuke and I just returned to Koenma's little "home". Kurama hadn't even budged since we picked him up from the prison; I was worried about him. Botan came up to meet us and congratulate us on a successful mission, but she soon saw our predicament and suddenly changed moods.

"Follow me, please, I know where you can place him," she opened up the door and held it for us. She led us in silence towards what looked like an infirmary. I placed him down on the middle bed in the room. Every sheet was white and seemed to have never been used before now.

I looked down to Kurama's seemingly lifeless form. He seemed to be at peace with everything around him, he seemed to show no fear, and no happiness. I closed my eyes and walked away from him, back into the hall where Botan and Yusuke were waiting for me. I couldn't stand Kurama like this; he always seemed the strongest out of us, both mentally and physically. To see him like this made me feel even weaker than normal.

"What happened to him?" Botan asked. She was wringing her hands together in a desperate attempt to do something besides act worried.

"I don't know," Yusuke said, he didn't seem to want to talk. Keiko and Yukina then walked up. Keiko moved towards Yusuke, but then noticed his pain and backed away. Not even in the many fights Keiko saw Yusuke in, did she ever seem this tormented to watch him.

"He was being held prisoner at that prison that could be suited better for a castle," I began. Yukina turned to me, I looked right into her red eyes.

"May I see him," she asked.

"Go ahead, if you can do anything to help him, by all means," Yusuke said, motioning to the door. Yukina nodded and led the way into the room. Yukina walked over to him, the rest of us surrounded his bed.

Yukina leaned forward and placed her hands softly on his chest. Kurama seemed to cringe as Yukina touched him. She closed her eyes as she focused her will to heal Kurama. Time began to tick slowly by, but nothing happened. Yukina's healing power did nothing to help Kurama's comatose predicament.

"I don't understand this," Yukina said as she drew back her hands.

"Did you find anything?" Yusuke asked, half asleep.

"There is something that penetrated his mind, something is keeping him in this comatose state. I don't know what can bring him out..."

"So you mean we can't do anything to help him out?" I asked, blankly.

"We can't do anything, Kuwabara," Keiko said.

We sat in silence around Kurama's bed for some time. I was remembering the old times I had with him, I had a feeling that he wouldn't be making it out of this. I had to come to terms with myself, he wouldn't make it out of this, and I knew it. It was then, that all of my despair could rest assured.

"W-Where is Hiei," Kurama's voice came from beneath us. He sounded so tired and weak, like for those three days he had not eaten or slept, I couldn't stand to see him this way.

"We don't know," Yusuke said. I looked at the girls, tears brimmed each of their eyes. "You should sleep, Kurama, I'll tell him to come here, when he gets back." Kurama seemed to try and nod, but he was asleep before he finished his reply. "Let's go," Yusuke whispered to us.

We all headed out. When we had left the room, Keiko began to cry, and Yukina soon joined her. I saw Botan come heading back from Koenma's office. She was running towards us.

"We have a problem!" She said, huffing and puffing.

"What's wrong," Yusuke asked, he was holding Keiko, and I was holding Yukina.

"Someone is trying to steal the Gate's Key! Follow me!" We began to run after her.

"What does this Gate's Key thing do?" Yusuke asked. We had left the girls in the infirmary to help Kurama if he needed anything.

"It's used to break the barrier between this realm and the Makai Realm!" We ran into a heavy set of doors that Botan opened with a small key. "He's in there," Botan said. "This is as far as I go, good luck."

We walked in. The room was pitch black, but both of us didn't need light to sense the demon's Spirit Energy. We began to trace him towards the middle of the room, where we split up to each side of the demon. I don't think the demon realized we were there, or he didn't act like it.

We then jumped at him, holding him down. Botan heard the struggle and ran in to turn on the lights. As the lights flashed on, I was blinded by the light. By the time I could see, Yusuke had already let go of the villain and had backed away.

"Get off of me, you fool!" came an all to familiar voice.

"Hiei?" I asked, still on top of him.

--------Five minutes later--------

"So you snuck into that prison thingy?" Yusuke asked. Hiei had just explained what he had done and whom he met.

Hiei didn't answer Yusuke's question, but moved on with the story. "This Ryokha says that Kurama only has five days now until he dies, and the antidote has to be given to him in the next four days. She wants the Gate's Key in place for the antidote."

"Alright, we can't _give_ her the Gate's Key, but we _can_ give her a copy of it! Then we take the antidote from her," Yusuke said.

"That wouldn't work," Koenma replied. "The Gate's Key gives off an aura of its own, and Ryokha can probably sense that."

"What if we just go and charge her and take the antidote from her?" I asked.

"She might not be carrying it on her," Botan intercepted.

"We can give her the real Gate's Key," Hiei began, "and she will give us the antidote, and then we fight her for the Gate's Key."

"That's probably your best bet," Keiko nodded.

"Hiei, before I forget, Kurama wants to see you," Yusuke said.

--------Change POV to Hiei--------

I walked down to the infirmary that was holding Kurama. I didn't know what he would say, and I still didn't know how he felt towards me, for all I knew, he could hate me for what I told him. I opened the door and let myself in.

"Hiei?" I heard Kurama's voice come from the center of the room. I walked to him, not trying to rush to his side.

"What do you want, fox?"

"Do you remember before any of this started? We were at the arcade," he said. Kurama seemed desperate to remember what I had said earlier.

"Yes, I remember."

"Do you remember what you had said? You said you loved me," his voice became very soft after that.

"Yes, I did."

"I wanted to answer you, you had asked if I loved you." He paused for sometime, I didn't think he would answer my long a waited question. "I love you, too. I always have." He then closed his eyes and seemed to fall into a tormented sleep.

"I'm glad you do, fox, I'm very glad you do." I watched my sleeping angel fall deeper into his sleep before I had to leave him. He didn't deserve this agony, no one did. You're not alone in this fight Kurama; I am here to help you, and if need be, save you.

* * *

A/N: The next chapter will be called It Begins. 


	12. This Is It

A/N: Here it comes; this is it! Ryokha wants the Gate's Key, and Hiei must obey, or he will lose absolutely everything he loves. Will the team's plan work, or will everything die in torment? This is in the POV of Hiei. Sorry, had a change of heart, I had to change the title of this chapter.

Chapter Twelve

This Is It

It took me only a day to reach her and her prison. The others would reach it in three days, but hopefully sooner.

I walked to the top of the tower. I took a deep breath before I walked onto the final square that would transport me up to her. I was ready to face her and anything that would follow.

The room was bare, all except for her on her throne of bones. I walked to her in ultimate defiance. I had supposedly done what no other could do; I 'stole' the Gate's Key from Koenma.

"Here it is," I said, I didn't mind showing her in my voice, just how much I loathed her, nor did she seem to care.

"Good, now hand it here," she said trying to call me to her.

"Where is the antidote, hand me that first." I pulled out the key for her to see it. She seemed to melt at the sight of it.

"At the same time then?"

"Fine." We walked towards each other. She pulled out the antidote; a greenish liquid was inside of the vial. We handed our objects to the other. I looked at my 'prize' and thought how easy it had been to get this, to save him.

I looked up at her, ready to take back what I gave her, but I stopped. I saw how she cherished the small key. She looked as if her entire life and soul rested in that one object, but I couldn't stall and let her believe that this trade was only a fluke.

"Now, for the end of our bargain," I told her. My head was down and the antidote hid deep within my pocket.

"What do you mean? What end to the bargain?" She seemed bewildered. She must have thought that I had already left.

"I think you should hand back that key."

"Why, I have no reason to, puny demon."

"On the pain of death, if you do not hand that back!"

"I would like to see you try!" she screamed, she focused on the key, and it disappeared. I could sense it still on her. She then began to float in the air, as if gravity meant nothing to her.

"You will pay for his torture!" I drew my sword out and let it guide my way. My plan was to dismember her, so I aimed at her arms that would be my first target. I slashed at her multiple times to make her flinch, but I missed, and she didn't flinch.

She raised her arm and called what seemed to be a storm of lightning. She held it in her left arm, high above her head; she then dropped her arm, letting it fall on me. I would have been struck down if I weren't saved because of my speed. I began to dodge the bolts of lightning that were thrown at me. She seemed just to watch and smile as I ran for my life.

It was my turn to get her, I charged and jumped at her. I focused on her; she was my only target. I slashed down at her, hoping to decapitate her from her evil reeking body, but I only caught her hair in my slash. A few strands fell quietly to the floor; those were the slowest moving things in the room.

Our fight picked up a few more notches. Now, Ryokha darted across the room throwing thunder-balls at me, Thunder-Strike, she kept screaming out. I kept dodging them until I reached her, and then I tried to strike her down. I kept missing her, the only thing I could hit was her hair, and that was ever so rarely.

"This is beginning to bore me," Ryokha screamed at me. She raised her hands toward the ceiling, and shot a hole right through it! She then called to the rain and the wind and the lightning to pour on us both. "Let's bring it up a few notches! Rolling Thunder! Hear my cry! Strike him down, from the sky!"

Low and behold the lightning fell in pure strikes at my smoldering body. I did all that I could to dodge them. The wind was doing its job; it slowed me down to a human's pace, which would be my greatest downfall.

I kept my eyes on her, trying to ignore the glare from the bolts of lightning. The rain and wind began to pick up even more. The rain was hitting me hard, it felt as if someone was repeatedly punching me. The wind slowed me down to a walk, if I wasn't careful it could easily pick me up and hurl me out of the room from the ceiling. I hadn't even been fighting her for an hour, yet I felt as if it had been days, and I still hadn't seen all of her moves.

"Fight me like a demon," I coxed her. I couldn't win like this; I had to try something else.

"And why would I do that?" she replied. She was messing with her nails; she wasn't even paying attention to this fight, which gave me an idea.

I pushed myself forward, towards her. By the time I had made it to her, she was watching me advance. "How amazing," escaped her lips. I forced myself forward. I was now standing right next to her, as the lightning struck down at me, but it would strike her as well. She, too, seemed to see this.

"Stop this foolishness," she said to the wind and the rain. Soon the typhoon ended, and the bolt never hit its target.

'This could be my only chance,' I thought. I raised my sword high above her head, and in total silence I struck down. Before I could finish my strike, she turned on me.

"Thunder-Strike!" she screamed letting the ball of lightning hit me as I flew across the room. I hit the wall and felt it crumble behind me. I tried to get up, but something stopped me. 'The lightning,' I thought, 'it affects the body and doesn't allow it to react.'

"Now, you will stay out of my way!" she yelled at me. She began to slowly descend from the sky, letting her feet hit the ground. She walked towards the older exit, not the one I recently made through the wall. "Until we meet again, then?" I couldn't allow her to escape, I knew she would go after my fox, I knew she would try and kill him since I failed to please her, I couldn't let that happen.

"We have not finished yet. Dragon of the Darkness Flame!" I screamed. I allowed the dragon to move me, to flow through me. The beast was great and enraged. I let my emotions control the dragon. I willed it to strike her down! The beast opened its jaw to swallow her whole.

"WHAT IS THAT THING?!" she screamed.

"This is your demise," I smiled at her, waiting for my beast to attack. The creature began to turn a different hue. It changed in a blink of an eye, in the flash of Ryokha's lightning, from black, to Kurama's rose, red. "Kill her."

The beast glared at her and flew to her. Her entire essence was engulfed into my little pet. There was only one thing left from her, one thing that my pet didn't devour, a small key, the Gate's Key. I picked it up and left her death and this battle behind me. There was only one reason to how I survived. 'Kurama,' I thought, 'thank you.'

_I won't go away_

_Right here I'll stay_

_Stand silent in flames_

_Stand tall 'till it fades_

_Shoot me again_

_I ain't dead yet_

_Shoot me again_

_All the shots I take_

_I spit back at you_

_All the shit you fake_

_Comes back to haunt you_

_All the shots_

_All the shots I take_

_What difference did I make?_

_All the shots I take_

_I spit back at you_

_I won't go away, with a bullet in my back_

_Right here I'll stay, with a bullet in my back_

_Shoot me_

_Take a shot_

* * *

A/N: I don't own Yu-Yu Hakusho, or this song; it is Shoot Me Again by Matallica. The next chapter is going to be called When I Return. 


	13. When I Return

A/N: Hiei has just returned from his fight with Ryokha, battered and bruised, the antidote hides in his pocket, only to be seen by him and Kurama. This is in the POV of Hiei.

Chapter Thirteen

When I Return

My speed, I now realize, was my greatest asset. I had run miles down to the border of the barrier. Koenma had already admitted me through, so it was easy to return. I saw Yusuke and the others waiting for me on the other side. Yukina and Keiko were with them, I don't know why.

I passed through the barrier, feeling the same kind of displacement that always followed. I turned and looked at Yusuke, he didn't meet my gaze.

"He's getting worse," Yukina said, quietly. "He's asking for you, you should go and see him."

"Please, hurry, Hiei," Keiko added.

"Botan's with him now, shorty," Kuwabara said, making my nickname from him sound like a joke.

I swallowed, not wanting to be slowed down, but not knowing if I should leave the others behind, Kurama wouldn't want that.

"Go on, what are you waiting for?" Yusuke almost screamed. I didn't understand why he was acting like this, but I had to go and see Kurama.

--------An Hour Later--------

I placed miles between them and me. I was in great pain from the earlier fight, but that didn't even compare to what kind of pain Kurama was in. I was slightly limping on my left foot because of one of the lightning balls Ryokha through at me. It felt as if my leg was going to fall off.

I didn't know how much longer I had to run until I looked up. A massive door barred my path. It was the doors that lead to the building Kurama was staying in, Koenma's big office, the outpost to the Spirit World.

I opened it, not carrying that Koenma's Ogre waited for me on the other side. I ran not carrying about the door I left swinging open on that same Ogre. I slid in front of the infirmary door not carrying about Koenma who was squished. And then, I stopped. I was ready to see Kurama, and all I can do is hope he is ready to see me.

I sighed, and opened up the door. Botan sat on his bed. When she saw me, she stood up and motioned me to come in; I did as such. She walked to me, meeting me in the middle of the room.

"He is sleeping now. Please don't leave him, Hiei. When he wakes we can give him the antidote," she said, as quiet as a mouse. She passed me and left the room, leaving me to myself. I walked to the bed next to him and lay down. I was asleep in no time.

I suddenly awoke as something touched my arm. I opened my eyes to see Kurama staring back at me. He was smiling, but behind that smile came a rush of hidden pain.

"Hi," he said.

"Hi." We stayed like that for some time.

I looked at him and smiled, something I don't casually do. I leaned forward until we were only a hair's ends apart. I had told Kurama that I loved him, but I never proved it to him. I closed my eyes as I leaned ever so closer, and touched him, my lips, to his.

It felt so gentle and so pure to do this. It felt as if I had walked into a meadow and the only thing that was appealing was a single rose. I didn't pick that rose, but, instead, I joined it. To always be with it.

I pulled from him; at the instant the kiss should have been further embraced. Kurama was ill, and I was the only one who carried the cure, I had to give it to him before it was to late.

Kurama gave me a startled look until I searched deep within my pocket for the antidote. I pulled it out, only to see what had become of the contents. The liquid inside of the vial had turned an unmistakably black.

"I don't understand," I said to myself, allowing Kurama to overhear me, "it was green before..."

------Flashback to Chapter 10------

"Who said I was carrying it on me?" Ryokha asked, her voice, full of malice and hatred.

----------End of Flashback----------

'She must have been carrying this on her that entire time. It wasn't the antidote, and she knew Kurama was the only one who would know that, that's why it was he who was attacked. He will be left to die...'

I looked back up at Kurama he seemed to understand. He seemed to understand that he was condemned to death, that his last chance to hold onto life was just denied to him. I suddenly saw that rose in the meadow wither beside me, and I knew there was nothing I could do to help it.

"Kurama," I whispered.

"I know. That's not the antidote, that is another type of poison," he said. He seemed drained, and he spoke so slowly as if his entire soul had been destroyed by the poison, his last hope had been destroyed.

I stayed with him for the rest of that night, that day, and the preceding night. I awoke during that last night. I was lying on his bed, right next to him, I was awoken by him. He was being tormented in his sleep. His face became contorted as he tried to force himself awake. A few words escaped his cold lips.

"Hiei.... don't.... lea-leave...me..."

"I won't my fox, I won't."

I felt it, as his soul left his body. His body soon became cold and hard. He had died, and there wasn't anyway I could have saved him. He had died in my arms, and yet there was no warmth I could give him.

I kissed him soundly on the cheek and left him for the others to find. I walked out of the door, and out of their lives. I had only stayed as long as I had for Kurama. I thought he wouldn't understand what I was feeling, so I didn't say anything, I just wanted to be near him. But now, I can't, so I left, for good.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about killing off Kurama, but it had to be done. There is one last chapter to my little saga; it will be called Lone Wolf. 


	14. Lone Wolf

A/N: This is the last chapter of the story. I have to say, I'm very surprised it went this far and followed this path, but I'm glad it did. I am very grateful to all of you who reviewed, it helped make this story what it is today. This will start in the POV of Yusuke.

Chapter Fourteen

Lone Wolf

I remember it as if it was yesterday, a month could have passed, but that made no difference. It was cold, and raining, the day of Kurama's funeral. We all stood in black; tears rimmed our faces. I looked down at Kurama's coffin, it had a reddish hue to it; he would have like it.

Throughout the ceremony, I didn't see Hiei; I thought he would have been the first one here. It was only till after his funeral did I finally see him. He was walking off into the rain. He seemed to want to be left alone, but I had to ask him something.

I ran after him. "Hiei, I talked to Koenma. He'll let you back into the Makai Realm, he thinks you deserve it-"

"Like I care," he snarled back.

"Calm down Hiei, his death means a lot, I know, but you can't just go and kill yourself over that. You still have a life to live, and he would want you to live it."

"I'm not going to commit suicide, if that's what you're thinking."

"You're leaving aren't you?" Kuwabara had asked from nowhere.

"I have no other reason to stay," Hiei said, turning his back on us, he began to walk away.

"Good bye, Hiei," Yukina said, solemnly, "Good bye, my brother..."

--------Change POV to Hiei--------

It's been a month since Kurama's funeral. I haven't felt the same since the day he died. I haven't done anything worth mentioning since then either. I haven't slain any demons, I haven't even begun my work back in the Underground either. I knew that I wouldn't be able to open the doors without remembering his face.

I didn't understand what I was feeling; what ever I did just brought his face back in my view. It was like seeing a single rose stand out from the crowd only to loose it in a heap of other flowers. It pained me to see his face.

He would still be here if it wasn't for the evil demon, Ryokha, he would still be alive if she never had walked this earth, but he isn't. I had come to terms with myself days ago, but it didn't lessen the pain.

It seemed I had walked for eons, only to find nothing in what I searched for. There wasn't any way to free myself from this pain. I didn't want to forget him, I just wanted him to join me, or for me to join him.

I was just wandering before I found what I was standing in front of, the doors to the Underworld, my imaginary child. I walked past those doors to see its entrails come before me. Something, probably a demon, came and destroyed it.

I turned my back on it. It was my past, something I couldn't so easily look upon. I left it behind me, to forget about it, and to leave it.

'My entire world had been destroyed when your last breath was drawn, and yet, your face, just seeing it, wouldn't allow me to join you. So I would travel on, just for you,' I thought to myself.

Another month passed and another until I couldn't hold on to life any longer, and that's when Yusuke found me, on the brink of my eternal damnation.

"Someone is looking for you," he said to me. He seemed dreamlike, and unreal.

"Who," I whispered.

"Follow me." He helped me up from that damnation I had willed upon myself and made me follow him to where ever he wished me to go. "Stay here," he soon said. "Your friend will be here soon." Yusuke then disappeared into mist, leaving me.

I waited for hours for this 'friend' of mine. I soon found that 'Yusuke' was a dream I had willed upon myself, a hallucination. I was trying to save myself; by hoping something would happen in this place.

I looked around. I had lead myself into a small grove. One carrying flowers, but only two caught my eye. A red rose; tall and exuberant, and a white rose; smaller than the first, but just as beautiful.

"What is this?" I said out loud.

"Our new home," a soft voice from behind me said. I quickly turned to see what had spoken to me. It was what I had been searching for.

"Yoko Kurama," I whispered, smiling for the first time since I was left truly alone.


End file.
